Street party celebrates Lance Armstrong, Tour de France winner

By JESSICA FISH

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 10, 2001

American bicyclists say they are proud of Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. The riders who trained with Armstrong in his early years are even prouder to be from Austin, Texas.

Cyclists from the Lone Star state have not stopped celebrating Armstrong's victory, including 30,000 fans at a street party in Austin on Saturday night.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson organized a celebration near downtown Town Lake, treating residents to a concert with fireworks, street vendors, food and entertainment.

Texas Governor Rick Perry declared Saturday to be Lance Armstrong Day, and Perry gave a tearful congratulatory message to the cyclist from his own mother, who is fighting colon cancer.

Riders cheered as videos and fireworks punctuated the speeches. Armstrong and his wife, Kristin, said they hoped the message for more bicycle lanes would be heeded.

"We're truly touched by your sincerity and your following," Armstrong told the crowd. "It touches our souls that people are here and they care about us."

Armstrong took time off from the talk show circuit last week, flying to the White House for a meeting with President George W. Bush.

Bush and Armstrong, both from Texas, connected when Armstrong's son, Luke, jumped into Bush's lap to play with the president.

"He took a liking to my son!" Armstrong told Velo-News reporters. "That pretty much took care of any deep conversations I had planned on the flight from Washington."

Armstrong presented Bush with a new Trek road bike. Armstrong told the president that he expected him to ride his new bicycle.

CHAMPIONS AT ODDS: Armstrong has chosen not to comment publicly about the recent remarks of former Tour de France winner Greg LeMond. LeMond had alluded to Armstrong's association with an Italian doctor who is linked to the Giro d'Italia drug scandal.

LeMond said last week that he was disappointed in Armstrong, who has traveled with Dr. Michele Ferrari, and that he had lost respect for Armstrong.

LeMond's remarks motivated many fans to post angry comments on LeMond and Armstrong's web sites.

Riders and team managers in Italy and France, whose rooms recently were raided during races, eventually will be sentenced or cleared in European courts of law, or C.I.S. (court for arbitration in sport).

ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIPS: USA Cycling racers will compete for a $30,000 cash prize list in the Florida State Road Race Championships on Aug. 18 in Greensboro.

Senior men category 1-2 will race 93 miles at 7:30 a.m.. Category 3 will compete at 7:40 a.m., 74 miles; masters 30-plus at 7:50 a.m., 55 miles; masters 40-plus at 9:45, 55 miles; category 4 at 10:30 a.m., 55 miles; junior men 17-18, at 10:30 a.m., 55 miles; and masters 50-plus and masters 60-plus at 11:15 a.m., 37 miles.

Senior women will race 55 miles at noon; women 35-plus and women 45-plus at 12:10 p.m., 37 miles; category 5 at 12:45 p.m., 37 miles; junior men 10-12, 12:45 p.m., 18 miles; all junior women (10-14) at 12:45 p.m., 18 miles; and all junior men (13-16) at 12:45 p.m., 37 miles.

Directions to the state championships: Take Interstate 75 N to Interstate 10 west. Approximately 25 miles west of Tallahassee, take exit 25 (State Road 12/Greensboro). Go left onto SR 12-W into Greensboro (3 miles). Start/finish is in the center of town.

The host hotel will be Microtel Inn, 3220 N. Monroe St., Tallahassee. To contact the Microtel, call (850) 562-3800 or (888) 785-5632.

There will be race registration available on Aug. 17 at the hotel from 6-9 p.m. For information, call Tec Thomas, (850) 224-1122.

TOP GUN: The Top Gun Triathlon (swim .25 mile, bike 12 miles, run 3.1 miles) will be at 7:30 a.m., Saturday at Fort DeSoto Park.

Awards will be given for five-year age divisions, elites, masters, clydesdale men and women, and relay teams.

For information, call (813) 874-7223, or register online at www.active.com.

BURKE PROMOTES SPORT: St. Pete Mad Dog No. 9 is Roger Burke, 60, of Seminole.

Burke has done it all, including a strong performance in the Hawaii Ironman and many triathlon age group wins over the years.

Burke's duties as the St. Pete Bicycle Club ride leader and Mad Dog Level I coach did not keep him from working with Seminole officials for the dedication of a water fountain named for late Ironman champion Jim Ward.

"Each time the water fountain is used well into this new century, a random act of kindness will take place," Burke wrote to his fellow St. Pete Mad Dogs. "We must never underestimate the power of one. . . . Jim was truly a great family man, an American hero, pioneer, and a triathlete legend."

JUNIOR CHAMPS: These Florida competitors took top honors in last week's USA Cycling Junior National Championships in Gainesville: Katie Neill, 14; A.J. Sykes, 14; Steven Fritz, 14; Danny Martinez, 13, all of Tampa; Sara McLarty, 17, Deland; and Tampa's Nathan Rogut (Plano Cycling/Trek), 22, who won the espoir race.

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